(CARMEL, NEW YORK) - Alongside Elected Officials and Labor Allies, New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) Members employed at Northwell Health/Putnam Hospital hosted a Virtual Town Hall meeting on Monday (October 19th) to update the public on NYSNA Nurses’ ongoing contract negotiations with the Hospital, highlight staffing issues that Nurses are facing and give a presentation on the challenges experienced when Northwell has purchased small, community Hospitals and health care costs increase for patients.

The Nurses’ previous contract expired on December 31st, 2025 - and since last October, Nurses have been bargaining for a new contract that prioritizes enforceable Safe Staffing Standards to protect quality patient care.   

Northwell has repeatedly ignored Nurses’ input in establishing and maintaining Staffing Guidelines that ensure safe staffing and better patient outcomes, NYSNA said.

They also refuse to include any meaningful enforcement mechanisms in the contract, preventing Nurses from holding Hospital administrators accountable when Units are understaffed, Union Officials said.

Nurses say that as the largest private employer in the state and one of the wealthiest Health Care Systems, Northwell Health can afford to include enforceable Staffing Standards for Putnam Hospital in writing.   

Concurrently, Northwell is pursuing Magnet Accreditation at several Hospitals, including Putnam.

Magnet Status is the highest credential a Hospital can receive for Nursing excellence and quality patient care.

Considering the ongoing staffing issues and Northwell’s refusal to settle a contract that includes enforceable Safe Staffing Ratios, NYSNA Nurses do not support their application for Magnet status.  

"Over the years, I’ve seen Putnam nurses be asked to take on more roles and more patients with less resources,” NYSNA Local Bargaining Unit President Nicole Cadella, a Registered Nurse (RN), said. “I care about my patients and don’t want them to feel rushed when being discharged from surgery. Sometimes we can’t get breaks until late in the day or at all because there’s not enough Staff to cover us. People have resigned because they were given impossible workloads. All of these issues need to be addressed in our contract and it feels like Northwell is stalling.” 

“It always feels like we are on the verge of a crisis because we are so short-staffed,” RN Hannah Bozsik said. “I’ve been a Putnam Nurse for three years and since Northwell took over, staffing levels have gotten worse. We work extremely hard and we deserve to have a fair contract with Staffing Standards that will protect our patients and ourselves.” 

To Continue Reading This Labor News Story, Go To: TODAY, OCT. 19: NYSNA to Host Virtual Town Hall on Northwell Health/Putnam Hospital Nurses’ Fight for Safe Staffing | New York State Nurses Association

NYSNA File Photo.